Col. Andrew Kelly, commander of the Jacksonville District,

Col. Andrew Kelly, commander of the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, signs a public partnership agreement at the Flagler County Commission building as Flagler County Attorney Al Hadeed looks on. The document formalizes the agreement between the Corps and the county on a project designed to reduce annual storm damage costs to the beach and State Road A1A by 95% over the 50-year period and produce more than $1.1 million in annual benefits. The project also provides more than 3.15 acres of habitat for Leatherback, Green, and Loggerhead turtles, as well as Piping Plover shorebirds. Wildlife habitat without the project could be severely jeopardized.